Tag: weightloss

Today is the first day of my 30-Day Vegan Challenge, and I’m excited! After work in a previous “career” in agriculture, I learned a lot about how different foods are produced, and the effects which some of the things which are used to produce foods have on our bodies. For example, many foods are produced with pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and nematocides— natural and articifically-developed chemicals which could impact human reproduction, hormonal balance, and so on.

So, why am I embarking on this challenge?

The answer is multi-faceted, so here goes:

Yes, I want to lose weight! I’ve gained a lot of weight within the past few years after suffering from an illness, and I need the weight to go away!

I want my lean, flexible, and strong physique back— and this time, I’m keeping it!

I feel great when I eat fresh fruits and vegetables, so I’ve decided to give my body more of the healthy foods it’s been craving.

The things I’ve learned about food production have caused me to look at food differently. Therefore, I want to produce and consume foods that are as fresh, clean, and natural as possible.

I want to inspire others to be as healthy as they can be.

I want to feel and look my best.

I want to stop eating meat altogether, and be a lifelong vegan— it just seems healthier than consuming meat.

I’m interested in learning about the variety of fruits and vegetables which I can eat for optimal health (and to satisfy my curiousity about different foods).

Foods from the ground are generally full of vitamins and nutrients, and there’s nothing like being nourished with good whole foods.

I like to try new things and challenges can help us to build character and to grow in our walks of life.

So, what do I expect during my 30-Day Vegan Challenge?

I expect:

To lose weight.

To feel and look healthier.

To decrease my desire to eat unhealthy foods.

To inspire others that they can have their best bodies, and enjoy good overall health.

To give people ideas on how they can make small, and simple, changes which can have big and positive results in their overall health, fitness, and life, in general.

To inspire others to lead healthy lives.

To gain an appreciation for healthy eating and living.

To successfully complete this 30-Day Vegan Challenge— I like good challenges every now, and then.

To be an example of the positive change which I want to see in the people I love, and in the community where I live.

To set the tone for how I want to live the rest of my life— a life full of good and healthy habits which can influence others to do, and be, their very best!

So, what about you?

Do you have a challenge which you want to overcome? And, have you ever embarked on a challenge of this sort? Leave your comments below. Be sure to let me know if you are participating in any kind of health, or fitness challenge, and share the details! We can learn from each other.

The following is a short essay response I wrote as a part of a series of discussions about society’s seemingly increasing dependence upon the Internet. Is it safe? Is it healthy? Have we uncovered a great thing, or is society making a mistake for its ceaseless embrace of technology?

In this response, I’ve briefly shared my thoughts about the issues in about 831 words. Tell me what you think about this topic? Are we too dependent upon the Internet, and other technologies? Share your comments below, and be sure to look at the infographic— you might be surprised at how much information is transmitted via the Internet in one day.

In the “connected” world, it seems that we are increasingly becoming dependent upon the Internet to do basic things which, for many millennia, did not even require electricity. This concept coupled with the ability to complete more tasks faster (with the help of the Internet, of course) is (in my opinion) causing people to develop a greater dependence upon Internet-mediated communications and technologies. Although I have always been a technology enthusiast, and I am always eager to learn how to use the latest technologies, I am also increasingly concerned— especially for the generation following Millennials, because it seems that while they are increasingly being exposed to, and taught how to use, some very sophisticated technologies, I am concerned that when the lights go off, and the convenience of electricity (or, any alternative power source) are not readily available, these persons will (generally) not be able to do basic things like handwrite letters, use a wall telephone, understand that a “hashtag”, “pound” sign, and “number” sign are all the same thing, in addition to knowing that there is a such thing called a “tablet” which made of paper, and used for writing— andnot only the computer device used to play games, watch movies, or to check Instagram. (Today, I had a conversation with 5th grade students about this.)

I am also concerned because I had a childhood which included me playing outside most days of the week. As I reflect on this, playing outside had me interacting with other people face-to-face and helped me to develop social and critical thinking skills. I also got plenty of exercise and even lost my childhood “chubbiness” and became physically stronger and faster. When I wasn’t playing outside, doing homework, or talking with my parents and siblings, I was playing the piano in our family sunroom (or, another one of the musical instruments I learned to create and play as a child). Even when I was studying, it rarely involved the use of a computer unless I was conducting research for a project. When studying, I mostly used books and paper, including dictionaries, thesauri, and almanacs. Although, today, my study tools and study habits have changed, and, now, the project I am completing determines which resources I will use (whether digital and/or print), I’m glad that if the Internet is not available to me, and if the lights go out, I can use paper books to do what I need because Google is only available online.

While I have many concerns about much of humanity’s increasing integration and super-dependence upon the Internet, and other technologies, I do believe that people are increasingly being exposed to information, resources, and other people, whom they would probably never know, or have, if it were not for the integration of the Internet, and other technologies, into society. The fact that citizens can communicate directly with world leaders, and customers can rate and review the products and services they’ve used on a website, are examples of how people and organizations are enabled to better meet the needs of the people they serve. My concern is that there is now an imbalance of technology and the ability to socialize and learn throughout the “connected” world partly because many people don’t seem to know how to properly integrate some new technologies (like social media, for example) into their lives.

For example, some people rely too heavily upon texting instead of using phone calls to discuss important subjects with people (like bosses). I have heard many stories of employees who don’t feel comfortable talking with their employers, and therefore, use the wrong media (like text messaging/SMS) to communicate with their bosses when trying to get clarification for a project, or to handle important transactions. And every day, I read the tweets, posts, and status updates of many teenagers who communicate their ideas through emoticons and acronyms (which are based on the English language) perfectly, but are completely confused when I ask them to write those same messages in the English language using the correct spelling, punctuation and grammar.

I didn’t graduate from high school very long ago. Computers and technology have been a very important of my life. I first started using computers when I was three years old, since then, I have learned countless topics in computers and technology, but equally important, I have learned how to speak, read, write and count— the skills and abilities needed to create the computers and technologies I use. I am concerned that the generation following Millennials (and some Millennials, as a matter of fact) will not be as intelligent as the generations before them because they do not seem to understand the importance of learning by using books, paper, pencils and their mouths communicating and learning. They don’t seem to understand that the human mind learns better when people speak, read and write as a part of the human learning and communication process better than they do (in general) when looking at a digital screen.

So, among other things, I decided to be a vegetarian this week, and to see how I feel about continuing this interesting lifestyle next weekend. I want to see how a few simple changes in my life can make big and positive changes. I expect to post the results on next Sunday. Even if I don’t decided to continue to be a vegetarian, I have decided that I will consume a mostly plant-based diet. But, my goal is to eventually become a vegetarian— the reasons for which I expect to discuss at a later time.

This decison was inspired by other people’s good and bad health experiences as a direct result of their diets and lifestyles, and my personal battle with sickness which had lasted several years. (I expect to share more about my story at a later time.) I have watched people change their diets to live some very wholesome and healthy lives, and I want to continually the same “healthy and active lifestyle” I enjoyed not long ago.

I will be combining my vegetarian diet with daily cardio, and some strength training, body weight and kettlebell workouts throughout each week. (I can post my actual routines later this week, or next week.) And, if you’re wondering what exactly I’ll be eating, just know that I have lots of dark, leafy vegetables, apples, lemons, carrots, snap peas, and chocolate almond milk to accompany my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I have lots of other fresh fruits and vegetables, and a Women’s vitamin supplement and Super B Complex from Garden of Life. So, I’m covered in the nutrition department.

I’m not “sick” anymore, and I’m no longer bewildered and at a standstill in my life concerning what I’ve been through. So, it’s time to get moving, and to take control of my health— and my life— again.

Hopefully, my story will help and encourage someone else to bounce back after infirmity, challenges and difficulty.

Before I was sick, one of my “hobby-goals” was to be a certified fitness trainer so that I could help others to realize their firness goals in my freetime. That goal still hums in my heart, and someday, I expect to accomplish it. I also expect to return to the dance studio to continue to study, perform and teach dance, participate in marathons, and to continue to live the healthy, active lifetsyle I’ve enjoyed most of my life— and, I will.

I’ll eventually start posting my stats and progress photos. I’m using my Fitbit equipment to track my performance and progress. I have a FitBit Aria scale, and a Zip and Charge HR tracker to help me along the way.

Here’s to good health, moving around and healthy living!

So, tell me your story. What are your health and/or fitness goals, and what are you doing to make them a reality in your life? Post your responses in the comments section, or under my post for this at Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.